Did I Tell You that I Love You?
by Cattitude
Summary: Now in college, Ranma and Akane finally admit their feelings to each other. One day, while Ranma is waiting to ask Akane to make their engagement official, Shampoo attacks him w her 411 formula. Now that Ranma thinks he really IS married to Shampoo, is th
1. Chapter one

Title: Did I Tell You that I Love You?

Chap: 1

Rating: PG (The rating _might _go up.)

This is my very first Ranma fic. (: Combine that with the fact that I have only read vol. 1-4 & 9 of the manga ( and seen none of the anime) and you'll get a recipe for disaster. :D So, if I make any mistakes _and you know the correct answer_ feel free to tell me. But please don't review just to tell me I'm wrong and leave it at that, because that doesn't help anybody.

-

Akane's eye twitched as Ranma noisily slurped his soda through a straw. "_Must _you do that, Ranma?" Ranma slurped louder in lieu of a yes. Akane sighed, "very mature Ranma."

"You're the one that asked me to join you." Ranma grumbled. Akane quietly drank her soda for several minutes. Ranma tapped his foot in agitation until he could no longer stand the pressure of holding in his curiosity. "So . . . why did you ask me to join you anyway?"

Akane looked down at her drink as she played with her straw. "I guess I was lonely. It's been a year since we started college, but I still miss home. A lot of people here seem so cold." She made a motion with her hands. "I guess being with you is like being back in Nerima."

Ranma's lips twisted derisively. "Better than nothing, hm?"

Akane bit her lip. "I didn't mean it that way. I'm. . . glad we're friends."

"I thought you didn't want to be friends with me when you found out I wasn't a girl?"

Akane sighed. "Ranma that was a long time ago, I was embarrassed over seeing you naked and the whole engagement thing. Perhaps I went a little overboard in the way I treated you then, but I thought we were friends now." Ranma continued to sit in silence.

"After all," Akane was starting to ramble in her nervousness, "we _do _make time to see each other every week. Even though the colleges we attend are on opposite sides of the city. So can't we just forget the past and start over?"

"Start over, eh?" Ranma looked like he was considering something. "All right," he leaned forward, planting his elbows on the table in the process. "Hi, my name is Saotome Ranma and I'd like to get to know you better."

Akane furrowed her brows. "Ranma what are you doing?"

Ranma ignored her question and countered with one of his own. "How does dinner sound? I hear you have a fondness for Italian."

"Ranma," Akane growled, "are you _trying _to ruin my good mood? Because if you are, you're succeeding wonderfully."

Ranma put his hands up in defense. "I'm just trying to start over."

Akane's anger deflated and her cheeks reddened for a different reason. "Oh."

"So how about it?" Ranma asked in reference to his earlier question. "Or do you still not like boys?" he teased.

Still annoyed by his previous behavior and confused by this new, flirtatious side of Ranma, Akane answered with a vehement _no_.

"Ah." Ranma nodded sagely. "You prefer girls, hm?"

Akane scowled and viciously kicked him in the leg, satisfied when Ranma gave a cry of pain. "You know I don't!"

"I don't know . . . " Ranma knew he was treading on dangerous territory where Akane's temper was concerned, but he was having too much fun to care. "Sometimes I think you look at me a little longer when I'm in my girl form. You act a little more . . . friendly then too - if you know what I mean."

"Ranma you pervert!" The teasing glint in Ranma's eyes left and he shut his mouth tautly. He felt the first time Akane labeled him a pervert was uncalled for and the name was still a sore spot with him.

"If I'm such a pervert why would I hang out with such an uncute chick like you when there are other more beautiful women I could be spending my time with!"

"Because!" Akane spluttered, "perverts don't care _who _they're peeping at! Naked female bodies in general excite them!"

"I've never 'peeped' at you on purpose, and I can assure you it wasn't exciting! And you've looked at me before too, so what does that make you, hm?" Akane's cheeks puffed out in indignation and she rose swiftly.

"I have a class to go to." And with that frosty announcement, she left.

Ranma kicked the chair Akane had just vacated, causing it to tip over and clatter across the floor. "What are you looking at?" he snapped at the customers staring at him so that they would put their heads back down and pretend to go back to their business. If they were still in Nerima, nobody would have even bothered to _glance _up, everybody was so use to their constant bickering.

Of course, if they were still in Nerima he wouldn't have felt free enough to tell Akane of his feelings for her. Which was what he had been leading up to before Akane had screwed everything up.

"Stupid, uncute chick," he muttered, "this is all your fault."

-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-

"That man is so infuriating!" Akane ranted to her roommate, Megumi. "First he confuses me by teasing me about going out to dinner and then he starts calling me names!"

"Maybe he likes you and this is his way of showing it," Megumi suggested.

"Right," Akane rolled her eyes. "And the reason he calls me names is because he can't confess his secret feelings that I'm beautiful. That's very elementary school."

Her roommate shrugged. "Some men never grow up."

Akane snorted. "That's definitely Ranma."

"Oh come on, Akane. He's not _that _bad. I think he's actually very sweet." Akane frowned, trying not to agree.

"Besides," Megumi gave a sly grin, "any man that gorgeous would be worth the trouble." Megumi ignored Akane's glare. "Maybe I should try for him, since you don't seem to get along with him very well. What do you think?"

Akane viciously pulled a book out of her satchel and pretended to read it. "Why should I care? It's not like we're engaged or anything." Her cheeks reddened slightly at the lie. Megumi gave Akane an odd look.

"Nah, that's okay. He's not really my type. But I really think you two would be perfect together." Akane leaned down closer to her book and tried to ignore Megumi. It seemed no matter where she went, people tried to set her up with Ranma!

Megumi perked up at Akane's reaction and moved to stand in front of her. "You like him."

"He's my friend." Akane answered in what she hoped was a nonchalant manner.

"It's _obvious _he's more than that to you. Or at least you'd like him to be. So go get him."

"No way! I'm still mad at him!"

Megumi grinned. "You can use that to your advantage. Play the aloof, hard-to-get type."

Akane looked skeptical. "I don't know. Ranma would probably figure something's up and ask me why I'm acting so funny."

"Honey, trust me. After I fix you up and coach you in a few lines, he'll be _begging _for your forgiveness."

-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-

Ranma threw a vicious punch into the air, followed by a kick.

Then another.

And another until he had trapped his sparring partner into a corner. "Woah, Ranma calm down! What's up with you today?" Yukimura asked.

"I take my practice seriously, unlike you," Ranma taunted with a grin.

"Oh it's on now!" Ranma's friend jumped and did a neat little rolling flip over his head. "No more Mr. nice Yukimura."

Ranma always enjoyed sparring. The quickened beating of his heart, the disturbed air whizzing by his ears, it all helped block his feelings of inadequacy and frustration he felt when dealing with Akane or school.

_This _he could understand. _This _he could excel at. "So how's it going with Akane?" Yukimura's question boomed into Ranma's thoughts, almost causing him to trip.

"I thought we were here to fight, not talk!"

Yukimura snickered. "That bad, eh?"

"It is none of your business!"

"Oh it seems I've hit a sore spot."

Ranma growled and aimed a punch straight for Yukimura's smirk. "Would you just knock it off!"

Yukimura dodged and continued to smile smugly. "You know what you need Ranma? A little advice from the master of love."

Ranma's eyebrow twitched in irritation."And whom might that be?"

A vein popped in Yukimura's head and he tried to kick Ranma. "It's me you idiot!"

Ranma stuffed his hands in his pockets and gave his friend a cocky expression. "If you're such a 'master', then why don't _you _have a girlfriend?"

Yukimura scowled. "Hey! We're not talking about me here, okay?" Ranma turned away, indicating - in his mind anyway - that the conversation was over.

"We aren't talking about me either."

Yukimura shrugged. "If you're that willing to admit defeat."

Ranma finally snapped. "What is it that you want me to say? That I'm madly, passionately in love with Akane and I'm plotting the days until she's mine?" Ranma was too caught up in his tirade to heed Yukimura's persistent pointing behind Ranma's shoulder.

"Well here's a news flash! We can't even get along as friends. She doesn't seem to need me and I certainly don't need her!" Yukimura was now waving his hands and head back and forth in a clear sign to _shut up_.

But it was too late, Ranma had already heard the sharp gasp behind him. He hesitantly turned around to confirm his fear that it was Akane he had heard. They stared silently at each other for several minutes. Ranma wondered when she had matured enough to stay calm over a situation that usually would have earned him a birds-eye view of the city, while Akane tried to keep her promise to herself that she would neither cry nor give in to her embarrassing fits of rage.

"Is this true?" Akane's voice wavered slightly in her anger. _"Is it_?" She repeated her question when Ranma looked off to the side instead of answering her. Ranma's head snapped back and he made a growling noise in the back of his throat.

"Well what do you expect? You're always calling me names, jumping to conclusions, _blaming me for everything_." Akane's eyes brightened and her nostrils flared in indignation.

"You're the one jumping to conclusions now!" She reached down to pull off one of her shoes and throw it at Ranma, allowing herself to feel a moment of gleeful pride when it connected squarely with his forehead.

"Ow! Dang it! Akane!" Ranma clutched at his now aching forehead. "What was that for?"

"You tell me! You're the one that was acting strange back in the restaurant, suddenly getting mad at me. And now you're saying you don't even want to be friends."

"I didn't-"

Akane cut him off. "Well for your _information_," she poked him in the chest with her forefinger, "I had come to talk things over. I was even willing to apologize if necessary." She stepped back, and if anyone had cared to look closely, they would have noticed slight tears forming at the corners of her eyes. "But I guess that doesn't matter now does it?"

"Akane don't-"

Akane shook her head and ran off. Ranma made a frustrated noise and took great joy in stomping on her shoe, imaging it was Akane's stubborn head.

"You see what I mean?" He turned to a bewildered Yukimura. "Always jumping to conclusions!"

-

I lack an imagination when it comes to names for original side characters, so I've decided to just borrow characters from other manga/anime. Anyway, Megumi and Yukimura were borrowed from **Rurouni Kenshin **and **Samurai Deeper Kyo **respectively. I apologize for butchering their characters. (:

I sent Akane and Ranma to different colleges for two reasons. One, I figured Ranma really _isn't _as dedicated to his studies as Akane is (but I certainly don't think he's stupid) so I think she would be able to get into a more advanced college. Two, I think the only really _big_ way those two are going to develop a healthy relationship, is if they first spend some time apart from each other and especially _away from their family._ (I'm so grateful I don't have to live with them! I'd go bonkers! O.o)


	2. Chapter two

Title: Did I Tell You that I Love You?

Chap: 2

Not only did I catch up to volume nine, I even surpassed it:p (It sounds like some sort of victory when I write it that way.) I also updated sooner thanks to TingLiang's encouragement. (Now there's the real victory.)

-

Ranma heard Akane's shuffling limp just in time to assume a casual espression. "Back so soon? Don't tell me you're ready to apologize?"

Akane gave him a look that said she would gladly bite off his head and dance on the remains. "Not for something that wasn't my fault," she retorted. "I came to get the shoe I left behind." The young woman struggled to maintain her dignity despite the blush spreading on her face.

Ranma raised a sardonic eyebrow and held up the crumpled object. "You mean this shoe?" he asked in a bored tone.

Akane's eye twitched with the effort to remain calm. "I guess the joke's on you because that very expensive shoe belongs to me roommate," she explained with an over-sweet smile.

The cocky youth clasped his hands behind his head. "I don't see what that has to do with me."

"I told you this isn't my fault," Akane answered in exasperation. "You stomped on that shoe so you should be the one to pay for it."

Ranma jumped up to his feet. "I'm not the one who threw it at a person's head!" he bellowed. "I didn't start this fight either. I was _trying_ to get along with you when you called me a pervert!"

"You were teasing me!" Akane defended herself.

"Exactly!" Ranma shouted in exasperation. "I was just teasing you. Quit taking everything so literally."

"Then you should stop being so sensitive," the irate girl blurted out the first reprimand that came to her mind.

"Isn't that the pot calling the kettle black?" he snorted.

Once again frustrated to the point of tears, she couldn't deny the truth of his rebuke. "Just ... give me back the shoe." Her hand shot out expectanly with the demand.

Ranma had always been a sucker for girls's tears, and now was no different. The guilt kicked in as soon as he noticed the moisture forming in the corner of his fiancee's eyes. Unfortunately, his "consolation" consisted of a gruff, "Hey, come on. Don't be like this."

Understandbly, the ebony-haired girl bristled at his lack of sensitivity. "Like _what_? You can't call me a macho chick, I haven't thrown anything!" Akane didn't reveal that she felt inclined to do just that should he push her any farther. "I was happy when we agreed to start our friendship afresh this morning," she continued. "But I guess we've ... hurt each other too much to forget the past."

Ranma turned his head to glare at the wall. "You don't have to be so dramatic about it," he chastised dryly. "I _thought_ I was cooperating with you. Isn't that a good sign?"

Akane bit her lip and crossed her arms. "It's obvious if we want to get along we need to set some rules."

"No more calling me pervert," Ranma immediately demanded. "And no more jumping to conclusions just because you find me in compromising situations." The young man looked affronted when a small giggle escaped his fiancee. "Well you do!" he snapped hotly. "I never asked the girls to chase after me!"

Some of the humor escaped Akane's face. "My humor had nothing to do with the disgusting bimbos who throw themselves at you. What you said sounded so ridiculous I couldn't help but laugh." The young woman sighed. As ludicrous as it sounded, some fanatical woman usually _did _overpower him with some crazy scheme. And loathe as she was to admit it, her jealousy usually did bring her to the wrong conclusion. "In that case, you have to stop calling me names, too." Akane referred to his earlier request.

"Well don't expect me to spew out compliments," Ranma replied with a hot face.

"It's not like that would kill you," Akane muttered. "And speaking of kill, I want you to stop picking on Ryoga so much."

"He's the one that starts it!" Her fiance hollered. "I should be allowed to defend myself."

Akane narrowed her eyes. "You like to antagonize him."

"I can't help it," Ranma shrugged, "he makes it too easy."

Again, Akane couldn't disagree with him. Ryoga's temper was as bad as Ranma's and his slow wit allowed him to be repeatedly fooled by his nemesis. "Still," she continued, "I don't see why you two have to fight so much."

'Because he's an idiot," Ranma thought blandly. 'We're both jealous idiots.' "Dunno," he answered with a bored shrug. "So ... you still wanna have dinner?" Ranma casually peeked at Akane from the corner of his eye. The girl blinked at him, unprepared for his request.

"I ... uh ..."

Ranma grinned to himself. He would never admit it, but he thought she actually looked cute when she was flustered.

Akane glared at his chesire expression. "Fine," she ground out, "but you're paying for _everything_!"

"Yeah, I already figured that," he muttered. "But I'm still not paying for that shoe."

-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-

Akane's roommate had remained surprisingly calm about the matter of her ruined shoe. After her face returned to it's normal color, Megumi forgave her friend any coubt she felt she owed. Still, Megumi had forbade Akane from ever borrowing her things again.

"They didn't really suit me anyway," Akane replied. "I'm sure you've noticed I have a more casual style."

"Yes, well, not everyone can share my high sense of fashion." Megumi's lips curled into a teasing smile.

Her mind distracted, Akane mumbled an incomprehensible sound. Discussing clothes reminded Akane of her dinner arrangement with Ranma. She was a little embarrassed to admit it even to herself, but the young woman was contemplating the nature of said arrangement. Was it a date, or just a friendly supper? Ranma's tone had been casual enough not to indicate anything serious. Yet ... the blush on his face when he asked told a different story.

If she asked Ranma, and he didn't consider it a date, eating would be awkward for both of them. Akane frowned, this wasn't like her. She didn't usually worry about the kind of impressions she made. 'Besides, we've eaten a lot of meals together,' she reasoned. 'Sometimes we were even alone. This time won't be any different.'

-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-

As Akane had feared, the experience had been awkward for both of them. Ranma had suffered from the same indecision, and both individuals had the irrational fear that an acquaintance would barge in to challange them or a crazy relative would pop up and plan their imminent marriage. However, by the end of the night, the couple had to agree it had been a rather uneventful outing. It had been a wonderful experience for both of them.

Three months later they were sitting across from each other in the same busy cafe they had inhabited when they agreed to alter their relationship. Akane had met Ranma with intention to quiz each other for their finals, however, the conversation gradually changed to a disscussion of future plans. They had promised their family they would return over summer vacation, and both were worried over how much they should reveal of their developing romance. "We shouldn't tell them anything," Ranma repeatedly insisted. "You know they'll only shove us into a marriage within the month and I don't want that!"

Akane stiffened. "Then why don't we just drop this disscussion and you can romance one of your _other _fiancees. You know, one of the cuter ones."

"You know I didn't mean it that way. I meant I'm not ... ready for marriage yet. We're still in the first year of college, how can we handle marriage? And what if we have a kid?"

"I agree," Akane nodded, "but, I also don't want to go back to arguing all the time, even if it is just for a cover. What if we start hurting each other again? And you know we won't be able to fool my sisters."

"Kasumi would help us, if we asked her. But Nabiki ..."

Akane sighed, "Nabiki's silence would require a huge bribe, and even that's no guarantee. Especially if Kuno is around, she can't seem to resist messing with him." Both fell silent as they considered what to do. Finally, Ranma mustered up the courage to break the silence with his next suggestion. "We should tell Ukyo."

"Excuse me?" Akane's voice was deathly calm, causing the young man to squirm. "What makes you think that would be a good idea? Do you even remember what happened at the wedding?"

"Of course," he answered, "but that was only because she knew we didn't want that. If I explain this to her, she'll accept it."

Akane scoffed. "I'll agree that Ukyo is more rational than your other fangirls, and I _would _be glad if she accepted our decision. She's loyal and dedicated and I respect that. However, she's never done anything to encourage your notion. Face it Ranma, she wants you for herself and she'll do whatever it takes to get you."

"It's too bad you feel that way," Ranma replied, hurt at her negative opinion of his friend. "Cuz I already arranged to meet her today."

"What?" This time, Akane's voice wasn't so calm. "Without asking me? This really isn't a good idea and I would have told you that sooner if you had asked my opinion!"

"Well I _didn't _ask for your opinion!" Ranma yelled, once again drawing the open stares of surrounding customers. "And I don't appreciate you saying bad things about my friend. Ucchan's a good person! Stop being so jealous of her!"

"_Jealous_? Why should I be jealous of a girl who runs around impersonating a boy! You call me a macho chick, but at least I'm not gender confused!"

Ranma's face screwed up into a fierce scowl, tempting Akane to hide under the table. "You know, we may argue less now, but before I think you used to be less cruel." With that disparaging comment, Ranma stormed out of the building, leaving Akane alone to suffer everyone's curious stares this time.

-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-

Ranma stewed under a tree in the park he arranged to meet Ukyo at. He knew Ukyo had done some harmful things in the past, but that didn't give Akane the right to attack her. Truthfully, he had been hoping the two women would be friends. Aside from Akane, Ukyo was the one person he didn't have to grudingly consider a friend and he didn't have to worry about her attacking him every five minutes and dragging him off to do unpleasant things. It would make his life much easier if these two important people got along. Ukyo was reasonable, she would understand, why couln't Akane see that?

So deep was Ranma in his contemplation of the mystery of the female mind, he didn't hear the tree rustle ever so slightly behind him.

Shampoo stared down at the pigtailed boy beneath her, impressed with her skills that allowed her to catch him unawares. Swiftly she pulled out a bottle and jumped to attack the unsuspecting Ranma.

-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-

Ranma blinked open bleary eyes to find a cute girl staring intensly at his face. "Gah!" He backed up only to realize he was trapped.

"What Akane mean to you?" The woman demanded.

Ranma stared at her as if her words were as foriegn as her purple hair. "What?"

"Akane!" She repeated impatiently. "Do you know her?"

The name caused an eerie feeling of deja vu to brush against the corners of his memory. However, it was no match for the 411 formula and it's "refreshing" afteraffect. "I'm sorry," he apologized, "I don't remember that name."

The woman gave a pleased grin. "My name Shampoo," she introduced herself. "You are husband. We going back to China."

-

I'm sorry this is so late! I was on vacation and couldn't type it up, then when I came back I was lazy...

_Note: All recommended fanfiction can be found at fanfiction . net unless otherwise stated._

**Recommended Fanfiction: **Mellow by _Andrina_ Akane returns to Nerima after a long absence to find her father has died. Ranma returns to discover he had a son. A far more touching story than I can describe. :)

_I would like to thank:_ Story Weaver1, Kachie, TingLiang, MindReaper, Vaniah, Horosha no Kage, cutie-akane _for reviewing!_

_I would also like to thank: _Horosha no Kage, TingLiang _for adding this story to their favorites:)_


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